Cloud Pet Caution

Experts have warned against toys that can talk and connect to the internet.

20:29 26 March 2017

Recent data has shown that many toys that can talk and connect to the internet have leaked children’s voice messages and parent’s private information to total strangers.

 

The most recent cautionary tale comes from CloudPets, a company that makes stuffed animals paired with the firm’s app that allows parents to talk to their children and gives children access to “an ever-expanding collection of fun and games.”

 

Researcher Troy Hunt said that such toys have been leaking data and exposing children’s voice messages online. Hunt and his security researchers revealed that CloudPets’ app relies on a Romanian company “whose website contains huge security holes” that hackers can easily exploit.

 

This makes it easier for any hacker to steal all of CloudPets’ customer records. Hunt’s example explained how he was able to hear a little girl singing and also saying “Hello mommy and daddy, I love you so much.”

 

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel said he found the story very alarming especially since more than 800,000 accounts were vulnerable to hackers.

 

"Who could have guessed giving a kid a stuff animal with a microphone connected to the internet in it had the potential to go wrong?" he asked his audience.